A DOEI Workshop on Interactions Between Tsunamis and Underwater Geological Processes

Proposed Research

AbstractTsunamis are among the most destructive natural hazards.
The complex nature of tsunamis was vividly illustrated by the failure
of warning the deadly Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean
and a false alarm following the March 28, 2005 earthquake in the
same region. Tsunami nucleation involves complex interactions of
underwater earthquakes, landslides, and volcano eruptions with the
overlying oceans. The detailed processes of such interactions are
at present poorly understood. To promote progress on interdisciplinary
investigation of the role of geology-ocean interaction in creating
tsunamis, we propose to host a tsunami workshop at WHOI in the fall
of 2006. This workshop has three primary objectives: (1) To review
the state-of-the art investigation on tsunami observation, theoretical
modeling, and early warning technology; (2) To promote interdisciplinary
discussion between researchers in marine geology, physical oceanography,
ocean engineering, marine policy and hazard preparation; and (3)
To identify promising directions for further tsunami research and
new early warning technologies. WHOI is unique in that we have expertise
in all the sub-disciplines in tsunami research. We hope that this
workshop, as well as a planned discussion group prior to the conference,
will significantly increase the interactions and collaborations
between WHOI researchers and engineers, thus accelerating WHOI’s
contribution to tsunami research and hazard mitigation endeavors.

1. Workshop goal and objectives:

Tsunamis are among the most destructive natural hazard, and yet
their complex processes are still poorly understood. While the Dec. 26,
2004 magnitude-9.3 earthquake off Sumatra, Indonesia, has triggered a
devastating tsunami that killed at least 167,000 people in a dozen of
Indian Ocean countries, another great magnitude-8.7 earthquake on March
28, 2005 only created minor tsunami waves. Both the 2004 and 2005 great
earthquakes are thrust events on the Java Trench and are located next
to each other and yet have resulted in drastically different tsunamis.
What are the main causes for the overwhelming energy of the 2004
tsunami? Was it because the 2004 earthquake had one of the longest
earthquake rupture zone (over 1,200 km) ever recorded? Was it because
the northern rupture zone lies in open water, directly exposing beaches
in Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka to the tsunami waves? Or was it
because the earthquake epicenter was relatively shallow?

In the 20th century, worldwide damaging tsunamis occurred between
5-21 per decade, while non-damaging tsunamis range between 54 to 137
per decade (http://www.earthquake.usgs.gov/eqinthenews/2004/usslav/tsustats.pdf).
However, our understanding of the tsunami processes is still
rudimentary and sometime incorrect, resulting in failure to accurately
predict tsunamis in many instances. We believe strongly that progress
in this research direction will be greatly accelerated through
increased interactions and collaborations between marine geologists,
oceanographers, and engineers. The goal of this proposed workshop is to
promote such interdisciplinary research efforts.

The workshop has three primary objectives: (1) To review the
state-of-the-art investigation on tsunami observation, theoretical
modeling, and early warning technology; (2) To promote
interdisciplinary discussion between researchers in marine geology,
physical oceanography, ocean engineering, marine policy and hazard
preparation; and (3) To identify promising directions for further
tsunami research and new early warning technologies.

Originally published: January 1, 2005

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